THE SUCCESSORS OF ALEXANDER THE GREATWestern Civ
THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER 323 BCE: Alexander the Great dies in
Babylon, a month from his 33rd birthday Poisoning? Malaria? Alcohol Poisoning? Q: Who did he name as his heir??
A: NO ONE• Who inherits his vast empire?
• Let’s review some of the candidates…
SELEUKOS “NICATOR”ΣΈΛΕΥΚΟΣ ΝΙΚΆΤΩΡ Macedonian Officer to Alexander Takes control of Babylon, Eastern Conquests
all the way to Annatolia Death: Murdered in 281
Seleucid Empire
PTOLEMY “SOTER”ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙ͂ΟΣ ΣΩΤΉ Another Macedonian General Takes control of Egypt; parts of Arabia, Libya,
Annatolia, Palestine Death: Peacefully, in 283
Ptolemaic Empire
ANTIGONUS “MONOPTHALMUS”ἈΝΤΊΓΟΝΟΣ Ὁ ΜΟΝΌΦΘΑΛΜΟΣ Macedonian General, Nobleman, Satrap Takes control of Annatolia, Palestine,
eventually just Macedonia Death: Killed at Battle of Ipsus in 301
Antigonid Empire
ANTIPATER & CASSANDERἈΝΤΊΠΑΤΡΟΣ, ΚΆΣΣΑΝΔΡΟΣ Regent of Macedon during conquests Macedonia, with son Cassander Deaths: Antipater- Peacefully, in 319,
Cassander- peacefully, in 297
Macedonia and Greece
40 YEARS OF CONFLICTS Antigonus, Lysimachus, Craterus, Cassander,
Polyperchon, Seleukos, Ptolemy, Eumenes, Perdiccas, et. al. fight endlessly
Wars carried over several generations Alliances, counter-alliances, betrayals,
assassinations, battles, the works
THE LAST ONES STANDING… In 197 BCE Romans take control of Greece
after routing Macedonian army at Cynoscephylae
Seleucids defeated by Rome at Thermopylae and Magnesia, empire overthrown by Parthians
Macedon under complete Roman control after battle of Pydna in 168 BCE
THE LAST ONES STANDING… Ptolemaic Egypt remains ally of Rome until
Octavian declares war on Antony and Cleopatra
Octavian annexes Egypt in 31-30 BCE after defeating Antony and Cleopatra at Actium
Last Successor State gone, Mediterranean Sea now Roman Lake
PICTURES!
PezhetairoiWar Elephant
Heavily armored Cataphract Cavalry
Heliopolis at Rhodes